Floor covering



Aug. 2, 1927' B. CAMPBELL FLOOR COVERING Filed Sept. 7. 1926 oez 4 I INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Au 2, 1927;

UNITED STATES PA ENT; OFFICE"? JOHN B. CAMPBELL, F SALEM, NEW JERSEY,-ASSIGNOR TO run I B, CAMPBELL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, oE'sALEm, NEW JERSEY, A COBPORATIONOF NEW JERSEY.

FLOOR COVERING. 1

invention relates to the formation of floor coverings on a base fabric of saturated felt, usually asphalt saturated witha; pigmented wear coating, and a suitable 36 5 ing on the back.

The present practice in the manufacture of floor coverings is to provide a piece of asphalt sa'turated felt base, which is given athin coat of a suitable paint, often a water paint, or an encaustic paint, but normally a thin oil paint of fairly rapid drying qualities, said paint being applied to the back of the asphalt saturated felt. It has been proposed to add this paintwhile the asphalt saturant is stillh'ot, so that it will partly penetrate the felt, due to the shrinkage of the asphalt during the cooling period of the felt saturant.

The only resultsof such a paint back on 2 fioorcoverings of the felt base type isthat it gives an appearance which is more satis factory than the plain black body, andper haps in some instances, will prevent the as'-' phalt from exuding any-sticking to the floor 2 where the felt base body is in use, say

in some instances? because'the films of paint used are so thin that they will not supply any real service, and their full value can practically be'allocat'ed to their appearance value.

' It is the object of my invention to do away with the use of paint as a backing for felt base floor covering, and instead to apsq vegetable matter or the like adhesively secured to the back of the sheet and preferabl rolled,'brushed or calendered to a smoot finish. I

'As a typical exam le of my invention, I

mayapplyz'to the asp alt saturated felt base,

when the saturant is set, an adhesive coating, preferably of quick hardening properties,

. and quite thinIi-n body so. as not to'mterferev dIlGl'S, having "waterproof. and chemical proof character, 'and certain adapted to this work.

glues which are qllliers, the important element to consider is t e effect of the lacquer on the asphalt of the be kept iteration." ply thereto a coating orfilm of powdered saturated felt or whatever saturant is used. It should adhere to the asphalt or other saturant without bringing the same .up through to the surface of-the filrn.

' Thus, as solvents for nitro cellulose, I will usefor applying to asphalt felt not-more than of ethyl acetate, and'the balance of the solvent will be mainly ethyl alcohol Which'rnay be denatured. The cellulose lacquer is applied. in usual manner of applying same, and the powdered cork or other 'matter is brought into contact through a suitable nozzle. A brushing, and rolling operation or sanding operation may follow to get the coat quite smooth. It is importantin' the use of powdered cork, in obtaining the best effects, to use the most finely-divided cork that is obtainable, since a'better efl'ect'can be gained with the most complete adhesion in a. thin film of the vegetable matter coat- In using'asphalt, an asphalt of high penetration and a quite thin film is used, with the remainingsteps the same, since quick hardening, tensile strength, and flexibility are revquired, and in.a thick layer such an asphalt will be brittle.

The powdered cork is much the best material to employ so far as floor covering is concerned, and the degree of adulteration with other vegetable ormine'ral powders should ow, if economy requires any "adul- In a floor coveringthe effect of a film or v layer of powdered cork applied to the back of a piece of asphalt saturated felt with a waterproof binder is of very high value from a number of points of View. In the first place the adhesive layer imparts strength which is lacking in the asphalt saturated feltbase. In the second place, the

layer of cork itself adds greatly to' the strength. Since the films of adhesive may be and will be of flexible nature, and the cork is finely divided, the flexibility of the finished product will be greater with the cork back ng, than if it were ommitted, since the tendency of the'asphalt in the felt to become-still and crack is reduced, andthe film of adhesive with the insulating layer of cork will keep up the nature of the asphalt for a I Referriixg first to the use of cellulose laclong period. I

Thirdly, cork is water resisting in 'nature, and together with the binder will relong exposure thereto.

gfioors frequently, 1 an greaseand the like is expected as a daily sist moisture and retain its qualities during faced floor coverings -are used largely in places where it is re uired to wash the occurrence, it is valuable in a floor covering to provide the facing of powdered cork on the .undersidewheremoisture is held" and does not dry ofi.

In the fourth place, it is awaluablefea- '-ture of the cork film thatit imparts a none applied in suitably dyed colors, or dyed after application, or given a size of cellulose lacquer or other varnish in which color versible-rug in which'the co has been incorporated, after it has been applied. In some cases, a' colorless lacquer may be added as a size, thus roviding a rerd backing will lasta long while as a wear surface.

In using various varnishes and glue adhesives,the re uirem'ents of process are not substantially ifi'erent from the use of the cellulose lacquers, but 'a. quick dryin property,- permitting an immediate .wor g of the vegetable powder film is important, in the adhesive used, as well as its inert} nature to solventsand reagents, after it is set. I

The finishing-ofthe flooring felt with a painted face'or. wear surface will not re-- quire any difference treatment from the usual floor covering manufacturing PIQCr 'esses. i

The drawing is a sectional srg ate if i oe of floor covering.

t a formal exaggerated in 'the' layersishown Since paint sur-' the asphalt saturated felt jbase is indicated in .the drawing at 1, to which is applied the wear surface of paint 2,"which.w1ll be in ,whatever design desired, and is usually where mo1sture,.

printed onto the base. The back of the felt 1s faced-with a thin layer of adhesive 3, in

which is imbedded the cork powdered faced.

Where other materials are used instead of cork, there will be a consequent decrease in -value of the product.

temporarily the 'a pearance of the cork ood flour will give backing, but woul have to be well sized in order to last. p

The backing diflers from the application ofsheeted fabric .or other materlal to the.

flooring, since the particles of cork remain discrete although they cover the whole body and hence elasticity is not interfered wit In cork also there is but little expansion and constraction' or warping tendency which is important in the flooring. A certain amount of elasticity is called for in flooring 'of this a 'type, because wear along certain paths across the flooring will push outwardly the portions thereofnot worn, thus resulting in warping, unless the various elementsmaking up the body are elastic.

"Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to. secure i by Letters Patent'is':

1 In combination Wllil'l" the bod of 'a floor covering of felt base type, a acking therefor formed of a thin filmpf owdered ve etable matter bound to the ad esive, v I

'2. In? combination with the .bod of a floor covering of felt base type, a ackin therefor formed'of'a thin film of powder cork bound'to the body b an. adhesive.

the bod ot-v.9

'3. In combination wit floor covering of felt base type, a 301G- f thereforformed of a thinfilm of powde pyiee xylin adhesive.

' 4. In combination cork bound to the body by a pyroxylin adhesive, i

= Y @JQE B-Q MP New 'with'the body of a floorcovering of felt base type, a'backin T therefor formed of a thin film of powdered hearing of. th reductlayers will be bonded to eachpthen' Thus v 

